Poem ~ Third Year, 51 Weeks Of War - Monday, 30 July 1917

Source: File: Over German aerodrome. 
See an original image at: <http://www.earlyaeroplanes.com/archive3.htm> [Accessed 30 July 2017]

Along the battle front, into the Belgium sector

On the 4th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war,

Artillery raged - reports verified by Douglas

Haig, described enemy artillery close

To Armentieres and coastal area North of Ypres.

Yet allied activity was equal in the air above,

On the 4th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

Attacks carried out by the Royal Flying Corps

Led bombing attacks across German

Aerodromes, to number 4 to make destruction.

Downed aircraft of the enemy numbered 16;

On the 4th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

The attack force flew 40 miles into territory

Of the enemy - the report for Friday,

Told that three allied craft remained missing.

While raids were made through high clouds,

On the 5th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war,

Also saw night trench raids by British Tommy’s

At Fontaine-lez-Croisilles, Havrincourt

Fleurbix, Epehy and Rouex, in Ypres proximity.

Machine gun, trench mortar and 77 prisoners,

On the 5th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war

Proved a prize - yet air battles also continued -

A great wave of high activity would have

Seen 14 downed enemy craft and 16 destroyed.

Not without cost, as 13 allied plane were lost,

On the 5th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

Further bombing raids over 2 aerodromes

Whilst enemy railway stations suffered;

Flyers took out 2 German observation balloons.

Claims from a Berlin perspective entered news,

On the 5th day, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

Their own pilots taking down 35 allied craft -

How one squadron shot downed 6 pilots,

While ground saw intensity of highest artillery.

French efforts proved successful defence, on

4th and 5th days, 51st week in the 3rd year of war,

Having repulsed German attacks over Chemin

De Dames - as were those in Champagne

And Meuse between Hill 304 and Avocourt Wood.

At La Bovelle to Hurtebise French took ground over

On 4th and 5th days, 51st week in the 3rd year of war.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1917. The War - French Success - Activity In Flanders. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 30 July 1917. P.5. Col.1. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214740/Daily-Telegraph-July-30-1917.html [Accessed: 30 July 2017].

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 30 July 2017). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12214740/Daily-Telegraph-July-30-1917.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Belgium

Poem ~ Above The Somme - Tuesday, 11 July 1916 - Wednesday, 12 July 1916

Source: File: Co-ordinated attack during Battle of the Somme. (Ministry for Culture and Heritage).  See an original image at: <http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/media/photo/co-ordinated-attacks-western-front> [Accessed 11 July 2016]

i
In the machine battle of the Somme,

Tactics were not confined to ground

Or under it, but in the skies - above

Artillery lines flew Royal Flying Corps.

Already within Somme’s opening days -

And not yet at its ending anticipation -

History’s perception of young airmen

And their influence was still in infancy.

In preparation of July's battle came

Consideration of the flying forces -

With 21, 27, 60 and 70 squadrons

Relocated in support to the Somme.

The Fourth Army would gain military

Wings, Kite Balloon Squadrons along

With 13 patrol crafts - 16 for bombing

And observation, 30 for counter battery.

German equivalent Imperial Flying Corps

Had 129 crafts - 19 single seater fighters

17 Artillery Aviators, 43 Bomber as well

As 6 reconnaissance and other crafts.

Along with additional allied aircraft corps

Support and reserves, the Anglo-French

Aircraft dominated all German aircraft;

RFC having around 185 machines in total.

Having taken over the previous French

Army presence by early months of 1916,

Preparations had been under way with

Photo surveillance, from October 1915.

Further April reconnaissance began

To show third positions of Germans

To include areas; Achiet-le-Petit, Pys

Ablainzevelle, Le Sars, Flers and Irles.

In the eight weeks build up, defences

Of enemy were photographed once

Again - finally the RFC were bolstered

By Arrival of 9th wing, in given missions.

ii

Prime objective of the RFC was to destroy

Rail links and cut off German second army,

Halting reserves and ammunition - to bomb

Depots at Mons, Namur as well as bridges.

Attacks on rail stations would include Lille,

Tergnier, Busigny St. Quentin and Cambrai.

Along with kite balloons the RFC's purpose

To observe Somme's opening bombardments.

Tactical developments would include, allied

Commands bright idea of many soldiers

Wearing shiny tin triangles on their packs;

This would allow air observers to keep track.

No thought was given to allied troops being

Forced to retreat, but when they did bright

Sunshine on these triangles provided easier

Targets, for sniping enemy machine gunners.

As dawn came British craft took to the air -

Patchy mist prevented any observations

But as the hours drew closer to zero hour

These airmen saw allies crawl into positions.

From this bird's eye view came alternative

Visual aspect of the few - as amatol below

Ground erupted in sequence and moves

Of soldiers to their targets, in a scale model.

Flyers gave witness to falling of figures

In lone grass - some new tactic perhaps?

Yet many of the figures did not stand

Again - to drop accounts back to earth.

Found by the ground observers to relay

News to wireless stations, as balloon

Watchers telephoned their viewpoints -

All giving feedback to British artillery.

All present were well aware of history

In the making - immortalising French

Villages and woods, targets and trench

Systems with vicious warfare methods.

All would make their mark on the land

And in books - the start of the process

Relayed by reporters who were there,

From safer distance of Albert Ridge.

iii

While allied craft had took to the skies

In the opening hours, not one enemy

Plane was seen - prisoner rumours

Spoke of hits, losing airborn sausages.

In build up to the day of this Big Push

Allied aviators proved mischievous -

Making protection of allied positions;

Without doubt, Flying Corps made risks.

While stalemate stuck in the ground,

The manoeuvres had shifted to skies,

Taking swooping actions in disregard

Of enemy fire to bring down balloons.

With poor Somme weather of June

Flyers were forced into low flying, with

Chance flights in machine gun range;

But this was no deterrent to the corps.

By their actions of cleaning the sky,

The enemy had been left uncertain

Of precise details of allied build up -

As 21 German craft were taken down.

Though the German claim had been

Only seven lost - this created a stage

Where Royal Flying Corps could fly

Easier, except for anti aircraft guns.

Tactics of the Royal Flying Corps

As eyes of artillery, were equally

Usefully to the infantry to relay

Information and to act individually.

Actions of one armed aircraft had

Swooped low at reinforcements

Of Prussian guards, to rattle gunnery

Into their marching column of ranks.

A while later this regiment's officers

Was taken prisoner, who confessed

How this attack and barrage had cut

Them in half before reaching the line.

One corps tactics taken on from navy,

Were squadrons flying in V formation -

Reforming into single line-ahead when

They underwent bombing intentions.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1916. 1916. Splendid Airmen - Share In The Offensive - New Manoeuvres. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 11 July 1916. P.11. Col.1. Available at: <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12211876/Daily-Telegraph-July-11-1916.html>[Accessed: 11 July 2016].

Source: File: First Day on the Somme. Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_day_on_the_Somme> [Accessed 11 July 2016]

Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 11 July 2016). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12211876/Daily-Telegraph-July-11-1916.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ A Story of Sidney Sipper, Aviator - Friday, 23 April 1915

Impression Sketch of aerial bombing technique - By Jamie Mann. An original images can be seen at: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Russian-Scout-German-Torture-Panasuk/dp/B000S8DL5A

Impression Zahnradfabrik Friedrichshafen, G.m.b.H., 1915. (The Cog-wheel and Gear Works).  Friedrichshafen and Lake Constance in the background - By Jamie Mann. An original images can be seen at: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/32570/32570-h/32570-h.htm

The sister of Sydney Sippie, an aviator,

Wrote to tell her New Zealand friend,

Living in Wellington, about her brother's

Exploits, over the frontline of France.

Proudly speaking of young Sydney,

Who one bitterly cold morning, some

Weeks before - had set off on a flight

With avaitors Briggs and Babbington.

In temperatures under ten degrees

Below zero, the flight commanders

Took to the skies at ten in the morning.

Determinedly to head for enemy target.

On reaching Friedrichshafen, under

Enemy fire of eight machine guns,

Sydney could see nothing of Briggs;

The air filled with shrapnel bullets.

With the target spotted below, of gas

And other industrial sites, Sydney

Sippie dropped his flight to release

His bombs over enemy buildings.

Coming into view beside him, waved

Commander Babbington - yet still

No sign of Briggs - having dropped

His load, Sydney Sipper started bac.k

Commander Sipper's tactic was

To volplane down to a nearby lake,

To rise again, under cover of mists,

His intentions worked to fool enemy.

A German report stated he crashed

Into the lake - Sydney flew across

Mountains over 260 miles, to arrive

On the same spot, all in 3 hours 50.

Despite some slight written confusion

In the narrative, Commander Briggs

Was heard to have been captured,

Having been shot down in early stages.

The sister of Sydney Sipper was glad

It was not him - after a shock  to hear

One captured and one shot down, came

To receive relief in a wire from Sydney.

In carrying on accoun,t Sydney’s sister

Tells how both flyers were, the next day,

Decorated with the Legion of Honour -

Before the complete garrison at Belfort.

Little more than boys with Sydney 25

And Babbington, younger than him,

The band played and flags were flying

As the garrison marched with salutes.

After a whole days to celebrate, boys

Were then given an elaborate dinner -

In presence of staff officers, colonels

And generals being presented to them.

Their menus of the meal were signed

By them, with some well known names

Among them - The sister of Sydney

Concludes on a more sombre note.

Her brother had been at Antwerp during

The bombardment - amid the last to leave

They crossed the pontoon bridge, shielding

Their faces from the oil burning on water.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. A Daring Young Airman. The New Zealand Freelance, [online] 23 Apr. P.23. Col.1-2. Available at: http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NZFL19150423.2.37&e=-------10--1----0--[Accessed: 23 April 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 23 April 2015). 

http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=NZFL19150423.1.23&e=-------10--1----0--

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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Poem ~ Flying Blind From Hun - Monday, 8 March 1915

Impression of 'Flying Blind from the Hun' by Jamie

When the Flanders fight was at its height,

The use of aircraft played an importance

In reconnaissance of the ground enemy.

In undertaking orders two flyers took

To the air - the pilot in rank of sergeant

Was to fly the craft, along with a lieutenant

To act as the observer, for their mission.

The order was to locate an enemy battery -

A cleverly hidden German gun whose fire

Had been proving a nuisance to allies.

Within a few short miles they flew above

German lines - their presence attracted

A perfect storm - as shellfire shook

The air, the pilot banked higher towards

Their target village - the observer gave

Exclamation of spotting 'the devils' -

In advising their mission was completed,

The Lieutenant gave the sergeant orders

To turn about - under a sergeant's hands

The craft manoeuvred - turned again into

A rain of gunfire, pummelling all about

Them. Within 500 air yards the blast

Of smoke smothered their course.

In the density that cut down his visibility

He gripped the control to take them

Above the popping - one accurate hit

Burst above their heads with a deadly

Crash - the sergeant said how he felt

Like his head had burst, to envelope

Him in sickness, as a of fog shut out

All of the light - against the pain

He used his sense to maintain a height

To dodge the shells that were less and

Less - but still the fog hung all about.

The sergeant called to the Lieutenant

Asking if he was okay  - yet no reply

Came - calling again, as he may not

Have heard, the sergeant clenched

And opened his eyes on instant night.

At 6000 feet above ground, he felt

Alone and fear closed on him - below

Sounds of the guns popped and spat -

And in prayer he offered up his soul

Then his mission  - to return and tell

Those on the ground, of what they

Had found - in darkness he directed

What he felt to be the right direction.

Despite a lack of light, his determination

Kept a steady course for two minutes

In silence - when the Lieutenant's

Voice called out to him in urgency -

'Pull up pull up! In quick reaction 

The Sergeant acted, grazing what

Was a church steeple to break off

A weather vane in close destruction.

Their shouted conversation revealed

Their conditions the lieutenant said

How he was severely wounded the

Pilot confessed he was quite blinded.

With one set of hands and one set

Of eyes, the dying Lieutenant told

Him the direction to fly, back to their

Lines - to the left and straight ahead.

The craft in a blind man's hands

Dipped back over the enemy lines,

Bullets prompting them to turn -

The observer, sinking in his seat,

Confirmed the place below them,

Where their men were waiting

The weakening eyes informed the

Hands to 'shut off the spark' - now

'Volplane gently down' - after which

Silence, as the sergeant directed

Them down in a blackened spiral.

Finally the wheels grated onto

Ground - the craft at rest, those

On the ground came over to look

At the 'handsome strong pilot,'

Who could not see the slumped

Body of the man who had breathed

His last - the pale sergeant turned

To them and by gesture of resignation

He told them 'I can not do it again.'

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. War in the Air  - Blinded Pilot and Dying Lieutenant. The Daily Telegraph, [online] 8 Mar. P.10. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11447736/Daily-Telegraph-March-8-1915.html [Accessed: 8 March 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 8 March 2015). 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11447736/Daily-Telegraph-March-8-1915.html

http://worldwaroneblogger.blogspot.co.uk/

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